Lisa Johnson Graduated May 2001

Irene’s – Why did you choose massage therapy as a career?

Lisa – I’ve suffered from anxiety and panic attacks my whole life.  At that point in my life, I was at a peak of sickness and I went and got a massage.  The young lady made me feel amazing.  She told me she went to massage school.  Back then there was no google so my girlfriend looked up the massage schools in the yellow pages.  I found Irene’s first building in Southfield.

 Irene’s – Where do you practice massage therapy? 

 Lisa – I have a private practice.  I see my clients at my home or at their offices

 Irene’s – What is the most rewarding part of your massage career? 

 Lisa – The ability to heal me and give others the gifts and tools they need to heal themselves.  That’s what makes me feel the best.

Irene’s – Do you have a favorite memory from massage school? 

Lisa – I have a few favorite memories.  We were told if you really want good feedback, then give Irene a massage.  As intimidated as I was, I just did it. To me, it was an amazing experience.  When we were done, I asked her how it was.  She said it was good.  She didn’t say anything negative; she just jumped up and put her clothes back on. Another favorite memory is having Randy Fillion as a teacher. His vibe and energy are always amazing when he teaches.

Irene’s – What was the best class you took at Irene’s massage school? 

 Lisa – The best class I took at Irene’s was Lomi Lomi Massage, with Charlotte. It incorporates everything from your massage techniques and brings it together. It took the choppiness out of my massage and opened up the flow, it brought in the Fire element to the table.

Irene’s – What bodywork modalities or massage techniques do you find most effective? 

Lisa – All of them, I use a lot of modalities and they are all effective. I do cranial sacral, energy, a lot of deep tissue, and myofascial release.  I do a lot of separating the muscles and bones, chakras, energy, and crystals.  Collectively these modalities are like the holy trinity.

Irene’s – What was your greatest success with a massage client?

Lisa – There are so many. I had a client who had ongoing hip issues for 20 years and 2 hip surgeries.  Before his first hip surgery, the doctor said his hip was falling out of the socket and he didn’t know how he was able to walk.  My client told him he received massages weekly from me. By relaxing the muscles all around it, it allowed him to be able to continue walking and have a full range of motion.

Irene’s – What do you do for self-care to provide longevity for your massage career? 

Lisa – Everything. I soak in Epson salt several times a week. I douse myself with essential oils to continue my healing; I use peppermint, lavender, clove, rosemary, and eucalyptus the most.  I practice yoga and deep breathing daily.  I also have a massage chair at home so I work on myself a lot.  I eat right; I do not eat sweets or sugar and no dairy.  I drink Chlorophyll every day to keep my mind and body clear in order to be a good therapist.

Irene’s – To what do you attribute your success as a massage therapist? 

Lisa – My success comes from keeping my body and mind right. The relationships I establish with my clients are important. I really love all of my clients and I hope they feel and get that as well. It’s making sure you want to see people getting better.

Irene’s – What marketing do you feel has worked best to promote your massage practice? 

Lisa –   I have a background in marketing and PR but back in the day when I was building my clientele there was no social media. So, face-to-face, getting out there and building good relationships, and word of mouth was the best way. Now social media is great, I use Facebook and Instagram.

Irene’s – What do you feel was the biggest mistake you made as a massage therapist and how did you address it? 

Lisa – Trusting that everyone is kind-hearted and had good intentions, even those you’ve known for a long time.  For me as a woman, it was dealing with some men that I didn’t think would be disrespectful.  I had to set boundaries for myself.

Irene’s – What continuing education have you taken after graduating from massage school? 

Lisa – I’ve taken so many classes over the years. I continue learning on a daily basis, it never stops.  I’m always looking online for things from Chakras, cupping to new herbs.

Irene’s – Do you have any advice for new massage therapists? 

Lisa –  Deep breaths baby!  Take it day by day, “you can’t eat the whole apple at once”. Forgive yourself, be easy, and understand this is a new thing and just learn it with deep breaths.

Irene’s – What is the best way for massage clients to contact you? 

Lisa – You can call my cell at 313-442-6628.